Production
Background
In March 2009, Marvel Studios hired writers to help come up with creative ways to launch its lesser-known properties, including Vision. [17] Paul Bettany was cast as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) incarnation of the character for the film Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). This version of the character is partially created from the artificial intelligence (AI) J.A.R.V.I.S., who was voiced by Bettany in earlier MCU films. Following Vision's death in the film Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Bettany was revealed to be portraying a reassembled and reactivated version of Vision in the Disney+ series WandaVision (2021). This version was referred to as "White Vision" or simply "The Vision", [18] [19] [20] and has an all-white appearance, similar to when the comic book character was resurrected with an all-white body and no memories or emotions. [18]
In May 2021, WandaVision head writer Jac Schaeffer signed a three-year overall television deal with Marvel Studios to develop additional Disney+ projects for the studio. [21] By October 2022, they were developing a television series called Vision Quest, [22] [23] which would center on Bettany's "White Vision". Schaeffer was set as head writer after working on another WandaVision spin-off series, Agatha All Along (2024). [23] Development of a Vision-centric series had been rumored as early as March 2021. [24] The name "Vision Quest" was previously used for a Marvel Comics storyline in West Coast Avengers vol. 2 #42–45 (1988–89), [22] [25] although it was unclear if the series would be a direct adaptation of that comic. [22] A writers' room was set to be formed in early November 2022, [22] [23] to include Peter Cameron, Megan McDonnell, and Eileen Shim; [26] [27] Cameron and McDonnell worked on WandaVision, Agatha All Along, and other MCU media. [26] Vision Quest was expected to follow "White Vision" as he attempts to regain his memories and humanity, with potential for Elizabeth Olsen to reprise her MCU role as Vision's wife Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch. [23]
Development
By October 2023, Marvel Studios shifted their creative philosophy to a more traditional television development process, moving away from head writers and beginning to hire dedicated showrunners for their series. [28] Schaeffer was no longer developing Vision Quest by May 2024, due to her focus on making Agatha All Along, and Terry Matalas was redeveloping the series and set as its showrunner. [4] Marvel Studios hired Matalas after being impressed with his work on the third season of Star Trek: Picard (2023), with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige being a particular fan of the Star Trek franchise. [4] [29] Matalas was also set to direct for the series, alongside Christopher J. Byrne, Vincenzo Natali, [16] and Agatha All Along episodic director Gandja Monteiro. [12]
Matalas met with Schaeffer upon joining the project and Winderbaum said it would be a "love letter" to the work Schaeffer had done, while being unique to Matalas. [30] The series was still being referred to by Marvel as Vision Quest, [2] [3] [10] but The Hollywood Reporter noted that this was not its official title; [1] [31] Disney was referring to the series as simply Vision by May 2025, [32] though Variety noted that an official title had yet to be announced. [33] The series was also still planned to conclude the trilogy that began with WandaVision and continued with Agatha All Along. [1] Marvel Studios's Mary Livanos, who worked on the first two series, returned as an executive producer, [2] alongside Trevor Waterson and Byrne, [12] [ independent source needed ] while Roopesh Parekh was a producer. [34] The series is being released under Marvel Studios' "Marvel Television" label. [4]
Writing
A writers' room opened during the week of May 20, 2024, [35] with Chris Monfette, Michael A. Taylor, Cindy Appel, and Matt Okumura serving as writers on the series, alongside Matalas. [36] The series is set after the events of WandaVision, [4] and focuses on the various AIs in the MCU. [6]
Casting
Bettany was confirmed to be reprising his MCU role as Vision in the series with the news of its redevelopment in May 2024. [4] In August, James Spader was set to reprise his role as the antagonistic AI Ultron from Age of Ultron. [1] Todd Stashwick, who previously worked with Matalas on the television series 12 Monkeys (2015–2018) and Picard, joined the cast a month later. [31] In January 2025, Faran Tahir was revealed to be reprising his role as Raza from the first MCU film, Iron Man (2008). [10] Ruaridh Mollica was cast as Tucker the following month, [7] and T'Nia Miller was cast in the leading role of Jocasta in May. [8] Soon after, Emily Hampshire was revealed to be portraying the key role of E.D.I.T.H., [9] an AI introduced in the MCU film Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) where she was voiced by assistant editor Dawn Michelle King. [37] In August, Matalas revealed that Stashwick was playing the comics character Paladin, and that Picard star Orla Brady was portraying the AI F.R.I.D.A.Y., replacing Kerry Condon who previously voiced the character in several MCU projects. [5] Mary McDonnell was revealed as part of the cast the next month. [11]
Design
Will Hughes-Jones was the production designer for the series, [12] [ independent source needed ] with Sarah Young as the costume designer after previously working as assistant costume designer on Age of Ultron. [38] [39] [ independent source needed ]
Filming
Principal photography began by March 14, 2025, at Pinewood Studios in London, [40] under the working title Tin Man, [41] with Byrne, Monteiro, Natali, and Matalas directing. [16] [12] Christopher Ross, Ben Smithard, and Neville Kidd were the cinematographers. [42] [43] Location shooting took place in and around London. [12] Filming wrapped in late July 2025. [34] A month later, Matalas indicated that production spanned seven months. [6]
Post-production
Amelia Allwarden is editing the series after working on the Marvel Studios series Echo (2024). [44] [ independent source needed ]
